Machine for folding flat paper-matters



Dec. 25, 1934. GODER MACHINE FOR FOLDING FLAT PAPER MATTERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22, 1935 Dec. 25, 1934. GODER MACHINE FOR FOLDINGFLAT PAPER MATTERS Filed Aug. 22, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor:

Dec. 25,- 1934. G DER' 1,985,859

MACHINE FOR FOLDING FLAT PAPER MATTERS Inventor- Hax Cvoder.

Patented Dec. 25, 1934 7 Claims. (01. 93

This invention relates to machines for f l l flat paper articles, suchas envelopes and flat bags requiring one or more folding operations, inthe longitudinal direction parallel to the movement of. the. articlethrough the machine 3 during its manufacture andalso perpendicular tothat. direction.-

i The object ofmyinvention is to provide a machine of this class whichischeap to manufacture Fig. 6 is an end view of the detail shown .in- Fi8-4' and Fig. 7 is .a section on the line 7-.7 of Fig.

i 6- of the detail shown associated with another detail, also shown insection, and 1 Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the delivery mechanism.r x The machine comprisesv a frame onthe back of which two plates arefixed onhorizontal cross rails'by means of screws passing through slotsin such a manner that theplates can be adjusted close toorfur'ther'apart from one another to suit the width of the article beingmanufactured.

These plates and their accessory parts which will be describedsubsequently areinclined with their upper ends facingtowards'themachine. .On each plate 5, two slotted stud-plates :8 arefixed by screws 9,- said stud plates havingstuds or pegs 10 extendingvertically upwardly therefrom, and serving for-maintaining the work inposition, said studs-being adjustable in all directions aboutthe axis"of the screws 9. Preferably Ong-the inner edge of each plate .5 a.cylinder. 12 is mounted on pins 13, so as to be freely rotatable,whereby easy, running ofi ofthe blanks 11:is ensured when the later aredrawn inbetweengthe plates 5 as subsequently described.

On the'aplat'es 5 above the pile of blanks 11 two nozzlehoxes 15 withnozzles.dinectedtowards the blanks are adjustably secured by holdingmeans 14. Beneath the nozzles the boxes 15 haveteeth 115 which engageunder the edge ,of 313116 lowest sheet .of'paper on the pile and supportthe ,latter.

I Bymeans .of flexible pipes 1 6, compressedairis suppliedrzirom. asource of comnressedai 'Which flows-between the sheets of paper on thepile andrby this means separates those sheets in case.

they "adhere together.

Between thetwo plates 5 a plate is arranged which extends in .thelongitudinal axis of the machine and is displaceable towards theinterior of the machine; The plate 20 is fixed through the intermediaryof a: hollow cylinder. 21 on a rod 22 which is hollow in part and passesthrough a bearing support-23 fixed on the frame of the machine and whichis connected up by means of a pivotal connection to an eccentric rod 25of an eccentric 27 fixed on themain driving shaft 26 of the machine.

The plate 20 c mprises thr ep rts. namely a base. plate 28 and two sidparts 29- and 30 adjustable on this plate. Theseparts 2,9 and 30 are;connected to each other by means of slotted platesz31. and 32 whicharefixedby screws33, on the base plate-28, so that the plate illlcomprisingthese parts can be adjusted in width; The hollow cylinder 21is fixed onthe back of the base p1ate 28 and the latter-forms one of the end wallsof'the cylinder. 1 -j In the side parts 29 and 30 are hollow spaces 38and 39 extending almost throughlthe whole height of-the side'parts, saidhollow spaces being in open communication with conduits 4.0 in the parts:29; and 130, said conduits extending across "the parts 29, 3.0" andcommunicating through openings 41 in thezbase plate 28 with the interior34 .of the cylinder '21, so that in every. position of the side parts 29and.: 30 the hollow spaces 38 and 39 of the side parts are in open.communication with the hollow space34. When the interior ofthe hollow.rod 22 is evacuated, the hollow spaces .34 and, through the openings 41,the hollow spaces .38 and .39, will also be evacuated. The hollow space,38 through a number of openings 46 andfthe hollow space 39 throughanuniberof openings 47 is in open communication with the front side ofthe plate 20, so that a sheet of paper lying onthe front side of theplate 20'is sucked up and held fastby the vacuum. A valve 51 is locatedon each side of the plate 20, being fixed 'ona shaft 50' which isrotatable in a bearing support 50', 'the said valves having preferably asegmentalcross section-equal to a quarter of a circle .(Fig. v3) Thevalves 51 have in their interiora rhollow space 52 whichis, inopencommunication with a line ,of openings 53in the side of-the. valvein line withthe front side of the plate 20. The hollow spaces 52-communicate through the bearing supports 50 and pipes 54 withtnehonowispace fis, .3 espe ive y c PATENT QFFICE 1 MAonnvc' FOR FOLDINGFLAT PAPER-MATTERS;

1 'Max" Gjroder, N e usis', Germany; assignor to States EnvelopeCompany, springfield, Mass; V R E use a way that a vacuum produced inthe hollow spaces 38, 39 also causes the paper to be sucked 'up by thevacuum acting through the lines of municates through the interior 55 ofthe rod 22 and a slot 56 in the wall of therod during-certain positionsofthe latter in connection with a hollow space in theinterior of thebearing support 23 1 during a certain portion of the stroke of the rodand the said hollow space communicates with a vacuum pipe 57 which isconnected up to a 'suitable means for producing a continuous vacuumx(not shown). The position of the slot 56 is such that air is drawnthrough the lines of openings 46,47and53 anda sheet of paper 11situatedover the latter is held fast by the vacuum during the timethat the plate20 travels forward between the plates 5 and during a portion of the timeduring which it is being withdrawn from this position. 'Only when theplate 20 has nearly finished its return movement when the eccentric 27has turned through about 180 from the position shown in Fig. 1, does theslot 56 pass out of the bearing support 23, thereby breaking the vacuumand releasing the sheet of paper.

On each of the shafts a toothed wheel is fixed so as to turn with thevalve 51. This toothed wheel meshes with a rack 66 fixed on the underedge of the rear side of the respective plate 5. By the movement-of theplate 20 the valves 51 are turned by means of the toothed wheels andracks in such a manner that, in the extreme forward position of theplate shown in Fig. 3, the

sides of the valves in' which the openings 53 are provided are in thesame plane as the plate 20, while in the opposite'position of the plate,shown in Fig. 1, when the plate 20 is completely withdrawn, the saidsides of the valves 51 rest flatly against this plate. 1

Before commencing work, a pile of paper sheets 11 is put to the plate 5between the studs or pins 10,-the sheets being out to the shape of theblanks required to form'the articles, such as envelopes or flat bags tobe manufactured. The partsof the machine. are set in such away that thelines of the folds for the two lateral flaps 68 (Fig. '2) are accuratelyover the inner apertured sides of thevalves 51, which edges lie on theaxes of rotation of the valves. In the forward positionof the plate 20(Fig. 3) the air drawn in through theopenings 46, 47 and 53 causesthelowest sheet of the paper pile to be sucked up as soon as the workbegins, so that it is held securely on the plate 20 and against thevalves 51 and is carried backwith the plate 20 during the return of theplate. During the latter movement. the valves 51 are turned inwardly andfold the lateral flaps 68 of the article being manufactured accuratelyalong "the axes of the valves 51. In this position of the plate 20, thesuction action ceases, because the slot 56 is out of the bearingsupport23 and the sheet is no longer held fast on the plate 20, so that it canbe drawn off between the'valves 51 and the plate 20 in a way now to bedescribed, as soon as the valves 51, at the beginning of the nextforward movement of the plate 20 are raised slightly from the plate, theplate 20'-continuins to move forward again and taking ofi another sheet.

The folded sheet 11 is withdrawn by two rollers 70 and 71 located sothat in the fully withdrawn position of the plate 20, the upper edge ofthe plate 20 lies between the rollers, which turn in the direction ofthe arrows at the same speed as the main driving shaft 26. The roller 70has agap 72 therein into which the upper flap 18 of the sheet 11 entersduring the withdrawal of the sheet from: the pile by the plate 20.During its further rotation the roller 70 seizes the sheet and squeezesit between itself and the roller 71, which is. provided with a yieldingcovering of rubber, .the two rollers then withdrawing the sheet. On theroller 70 are fixed two paper creasing blades 73 which press into thepaper during its passage between the rollers and form the creases forthe upper flap 18 and the lower flap 74. During this creasing, theroller 71 which forms the'abutment for the roller 70 has a layer of weakgum applied to it. v

From-the rollers 70 and 71 the sheet 11 is delivered to a roller 75,being forced under a curved sheet metal guide 72 on its Way to theroller 75. Between the rollers 71 and 75 a roller 76 is interposedhaving ribs 77 arranged in V-formation' which, during the rotation ofthe roller 76 make contact with a roller 78 and receive adhesivetherefrom}! The roller'78 receives the adhesive from a roller 79, thelatter receiving the adhesive from a trough 7 9'. The ribs 77 apply theadhesive to the edges of the flaps 68 of the sheet 11 which in Fig. 2are directed upwards but which in the meantime have been turned inwards.The roller '76 is interchangeable with other rollers having ribs 77differently arranged to suit the shape of the article beingmanufactured.

The sheet continues to move until the flap 18 rests on a roller 80 whichis in contact with the roller 75, and under a paper folder 81 swingingup and down inthe direction of the arrows above theline of contact ofthe rollers; The'paper folder is arranged insuch a way that onswingingdown, it engages the-crease of the flap 18 which has been formedtherein by one of'the creasing'blades 73 and moves towards the nip ofthe rollers 75 and 80, initiating the folding down of the flap 18which'is completed by the rollers, the flap 18 being firmly pressedagainst the previously gummed edges of the lateral flaps 68. i.

The work 11 passes from the rollers 75 and 80 to two pairs of rollers82, 83 and 84, 85. Between the pairs of rollers 75, 80 and 82, 83 islocated a concave sheet metal guide 86 and between the pairs of rollers82, 83 and 84, a convex sheet metal guide 87. Both guides 86 and 87 arefixed by side pieces 86 on a rod 89. The rollers 82 and 84 are driven ata peripheral speed considerably inferior to that of the rollers 75,80.The rollers 83 and 85are loosely rotatable and may be in the form ofcontinuous cylinders or comprise a series of separate bosses or wheelsarranged side by side so as to extend across the width of the work 11. 1

The edge of the guide 86 facing the rollers 82, 83 (the right hand edgein Fig. 1) is somewhat higher than the highest point of the roller 82,so that it presses the rearward flap 74 (Fig. 2) of the work between thecylinders 82, 83 slightly upwardly, whereby, owing to the articles 11being advanced by the faster running rollers 75, 80 more rapidly thanthe articles being advanced by the slowerrunning rollers 82, 83, eachsubse- 0. 5 cveyedibetweenfthe straps 90 and 95 and the rollers -93; 94mwhich are adjusted on their shafts in such 0a manner that i the?- straps='95 only: engage; the

"articles:lleatitheir-edges'(Fig.5). a 1

- cisiopen at itsmnderside 1 below which the i articles (11 :pass: inclosezrproximityitheret an adhesive l'being' supplied toithebox 97 fromaisuitable source inotzxshown) Bythis means i the edges i of the iflapfll-projecting fromliunder the :articles ll in r ifrontcofr. and:overlapping them aretspread over :withiadhesive. a 1

After passing under the box"97,-tl1e articles xlluarezsubjectedtotheiactionpf a'suitable heatcing'device, such as an" electrical heater100 which lheats the articles" to such an extent that" on their iarrivalat the rollers? 94* theiadhesive has dried. J i iWhilersituate'd abovethe: roller 89, thearticles llareipressedibyia'. looser pressing rol ler101 or by .a'atplurality of looserbossesmounted on a' shaft 1 so as toibe displaceable axially thereon. f -;By .-meansof the tworoll'ers '89,101 th'e' ar- :ticles '11 are! fedi'between tworrollers- 1102 and' 103'notatingiwith thesarne peripheral velocity as the rollers 75 sand 80,thereby pulling 'the iarticles apart from.vone another. :The roller 1'03has'on Jitsrperiphery. a recess 103 into which ithe articleillflpasseaafter whichiit-is lengaged bythe edge :ofithe. recess and isconveyed :between the rollers l1=02,l1 03.. Further'theToller 103, asshown in iFiigr 'l has on apartofits peripheryapertures 104 which: areinnopen communication @with'axial air-conduits 105 in the roller. On theshaft 106 ofithe roller-.103 there is a hollow disc member 107 which canbe turned or fixed independently of the shaft by means of a mechanismnot shown. In the wall of the disc 10'? there is a slot 108 whichcommunicates through a conduit 109 with the source of a vacuum pipe.

A roller 112 is arranged at nearly the same height as and touches theroller 102. Above the line of contact of these two rollers is arranged asheet metal guide 113 having a hook-shaped cross- I section, the end ofthe shorter limb of which is situated above the line of contact of therollers 102, 103.

The articles 11 of which till now the flaps 68 and 18 have been foldedinwardly and secured together by adhesive while the flap '74 lyingbehind in the direction of movement is still open, are now taken hold ofby the roller 103 by suction action and carried upwardly until theyenter between the limbs of the guide 113. Shortly before this point isreached the conduit 105 of the cylinder 103 comes out of register withthe slot 108 so that the vacuum is broken.

pins 116 which are displaceable in the direction of the axis of theroller and are arranged in a groove 11'? in the roller, the said pinsbeing urged above the surface of the roller by means of On the peripheryof the roller 102 there are two :'Another embodiment of the-mechan-i-'sm -'for -completing the folding of -the flap 74 is' shown-Figi 85in which tl-ie rolle'r -1 03and the'gu-ide 1 13 areisimila'r tothat'=shown -'in Fig; 1 but the roller 102 is smooth without pinsprojecting therefrom,

the roller 119 b'eing'situated at the same negates the roller 1 02, andthe roller 103 f -be'in'g'-l-ikewise {provided *w'ith- "suctionapertures 120. The 'rol'lr 1 19 picl:s}1J.p" the "article 11 by suctionaction on i-ts forward edge and draws it between the rel-lis 102"and-119* which completely fold down the fiap 74. Thasuction is cau'sedtocoritin'ue inaction nearly up tofthe point' 121 and then ceasesa Theroller 119 is" situated 'in' the open "end- 122 off-a box 123 and thearticlesfare conve'yed into this box,' 'where tliey are'stored.

-What I'- claim is:

i. A 'machine 7 for fo1ding flat paper 5 articles, comprising a pair ofspaced sht siippoftin'g msmbers for supporting 'a p'ile of sheets at ap'air :of oppos'ed cor-hers and means fo'r ielding a sheet on lines "to-fo1'inside flap's o'r bo tt'oiri 'fiaps) in' combination with l a platehaving suction meansfor suctionally engaging a 'ldwrrnost sheet of thepile, said plate being arranged for to -a positi onf for delivering thelowermost sheet -to said sheet fol'd in'g means, shet-foldinginem berspivoted to p-air of opposed edges 6f the plate-and 'm'ova'blefrom'aposition in which they form a T-co'ritiniiation of the platefatsaid 'edlges into a position I in which they bear against the plate andvice versag said sheet folding me'inbrs having suction means -forsuctiorially engaging th'e said sl'ieet, "means opratively connected tomembers towards the plate during the rn'ovinent 'c plate awayrrom thepile "so as to fold the et elting-linesregistering vvith said opposededges of the plate, and along lines to form the other two flaps, meansfor moving the plate towards and away from the pile of sheets, andcontrolling means for breaking the suction action on the plate reachingthe delivery position.

2. A machine for folding fiat paper articles, comprisingsheet-supporting means for supporting a pile of sheets, a pair ofcreasing rollers for forming creases on lines to form side flaps (orbottom flaps), sheet-feeding means arranged for movement from a pointbelow the pile of sheets to a position for delivering the lowermostsheet to said creasing rollers, said sheet-feeding means havingsheet-folding means thereon for folding the sheet along lines to formthe other two flaps, one of said creasing rollers having a gap thereinto receive one of the first-mentioned opposed corners during themovement of the sheet-feeding means from the pile to the creasingrollers and folding means to receive the sheet from the creasing rollersto complete the folding of the corners along the creases.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 2, in which one of the creasingrollers has a pair of circumferentially spaced creasing blades thereonand the other creasing roller has a yielding surface to allow thecreasing blades to enter it.

- lr-Amachine for folding fiat paper articles,

comprising vsheet-supporting means for supporting a pile of sheets,sheet-feeding means for removing the, lowermost sheet fromthe'pile andhaving means thereon for folding the sheet on lines to form side flaps(or bottom flaps), adhesive applying means for applying adhesive to theedges of the folded parts of the sheet, sheet folding means for foldingthe sheet ona line to form a third flap and applyingthe third foldedpart to the first two foldedparts to stick the said folded partstogether, a pair'of conveying rollers for receiving the folded articlefrom thesecondmentioned sheet-folding means, a second pair ofconveyingrollers movable at a peripheral velocity lowerthan that of thefirst-mentioned conveyingrollers, a vguide interposed between thepairs'of conveying rollersfor tilting the unfolded parts of the sheetsso'as to enable the articles to pass to the second pair of rollers inoverlapping relationship, means for applying adhesive to the unfoldedpart of the sheet, drying means for the adhesive, a conveyor for feedingthe articles in overlapping relationship past the adhesive applyingmeans and drying means and means for folding the sheet on a line to forma fourth flap arranged to receive the articles from the said conveyor.

5. In a machine for folding-flat paper articles, the combination ofmeans for folding sheets on lines to form three flaps, means forcreasing the sheet on a line toform a fourth flap, means for applyingadhesiveto the folded parts and means for applying the folded parts toone another un it forwardly to initiate the folding of said part, athird roller co-operating with said second roller and a guide arrangedtoreceive the sheet from the roller havingthe suction passages thereinand co-operating with said pins to guide the folded sheet between saidsecond and third rollers for enabling the latter to complete the foldingof the creased part.

6. In a machine for folding flat paper articles,

the combination of means for folding sheets on lines to form threeflaps, means for creasing the sheets-on a line to form a fourth flap,means for applying adhesive to the folded parts and means for applyingthe folded parts to another under pressure to stick the folded partstogether with means for folding the sheet across the line to form thefourthfiap, comprising a pair of rollers,

arranged to receive the sheet withthe creased,

part to the rear, one of said rollers having suction passagestherein-for enabling the roller to .third rollers, said third rollerhaving suction passages therein for enabling it to engage the foldedsheet suctionally and pass it between itself and the said second rollerto complete the folding of the creased part.

7. A folding apparatus for envelope machines and the like, comprising aplate or support adapted to underlie the central portion of the sheet,or blank to be folded, and having suction apertures near its edgesextending substantially along the proposed lines of fold of said sheetor blank, and a plurality of folding members, each hinged to said plateat an edge thereof, and each adapted to underlie an extension or flap ofsaid sheet or blank, each folding member, adjacent .ts hinge having asuction aperture extending substantially along the proposed line offold, means for exerting suction on the sheet or blank through theseveral suction apertures aforesaid, and means operative, while thesheet orblank is so held by suction, for swinging said folding memberson their hinges into overlying relation to, said plate or support,thereby to produce the "desfred lines of fold in said sheet or blank.

MAX GODER.

